British Invasion
by WritingIsTheMostFun
Summary: Mr. Schuester thinks that the New Directions needs to "reconnect with their deeper emotions." What started out as a way to get his members back in touch with their tender side ends up causing some relationships to fall apart while others come together.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello all and welcome to my head! Or, you know, at least to my story. Anyway, this is going to be a song-fic of sorts but not every chapter will feature the characters actually singing? Does that make sense? Well...if not, it definitely will in chapter two. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, I do not own Adele's music and I do not own Mr Hudson's music.**

* * *

><p>Friday afternoon found the rehearsal room was filled with chatter as the members of the New Directions tried to come up with a theme for next week's assignment. Mr. Schuester decided that they'd been practicing really hard for the upcoming national competition and felt that the kids needed a break.<p>

After much deliberation, Mr. Schuester finally decided on Adele.

"Focusing on Adele's music will give you all the chance to channel some of the emotional energy that seems to have faltered a bit," Mr. Schuester reasoned. "We did really well with writing our own songs at Regionals and if we want to continue that success, we really need to tap into the feelings that we've left buried deep, deep down. It'll be good for us!"

"I agree, Mr. Schue," Rachel, of course, was the first to speak once the theme was settled. "Personally, I think it would be best if I sang one of her more powerful ballads. It's the only way that I can really show off my talent and emotional commitment." Rachel nodded with satisfaction as some of her classmates rolled their eyes.

"Whatever, Rachel," Santana dismissed Rachel as she turned to address the Spanish teacher. "Mr. Schue, I'm all for everyone exploring feelings or whatever but singing about perpetual heartbreak isn't exactly my cup of tea. You want us to find a song that we really connect with but I don't see myself really connecting with Adele and her emotional masochism."

Mr. Schuester smiled. He wasn't surprised by Santana's lack of enthusiasm for the assignment.

"That's part of the beauty of it. This assignment can help those of us who may not be emotionally in-tune to explore ourselves on a deeper level. It's more than singing about the varying degrees of joy and pain that come with loving someone; it's also a way to reflect on how the very emotion might affect us. I'm sure you'll find one before the end of next week."

Santana sighed with slight annoyance and tuned out the rest of the meeting. She needed to finish filing her nails.

"Uh…Mr. Schuester, are the guys supposed to sing Adele, too?" Puck, who managed to tear himself away from Lauren long enough to assess the situation, looked slightly perturbed. "I mean, Adele is great and everything, but she isn't exactly guy-friendly."

Mr. Schuester took a moment to consider this. Though Puck had a point, he really didn't want to alienate anyone in the choir. And Adele's songs weren't the easiest for women to sing, let alone high school boys.

"Alright how about this; let's bring back the boys vs. girls set-up. It'll get us in the spirit for competition!"

"Mr. Schue, we've been in the spirit for competition since Regionals. Pitting us against each other again won't increase that," Kurt's slightly bored voice broke through the quiet buzz that had started once Mr. Schue proposed another boys vs. girls mini-competition.

"Kurt's right," Kurt turned in surprise to look at his step-brother. Finn had never been very vocal in supporting Kurt's ideas but he wasn't going to question the taller teen's sudden change. "We're as competitive as we're ever going to be. Besides, like Puck said, the guys can't exactly sing Adele. Well, maybe Kurt can, but that's about it. What are we supposed to sing?"

"Mr. Hudson!" Mike Chang spoke for the first time during the meeting and everyone turned to look at him in confusion. "What? Don't tell me you guys have never heard of him. He's another British recording artist and I think he'd fit this assignment pretty well."

Everyone still looked on in slight surprise.

"What? Just because I don't sing doesn't mean that I don't listen to music. Come on guys, give me a little credit here." Mike was a little miffed at his classmates' stares.

"Right you are, Mike. And I completely agree, Mr. Hudson is an excellent choice for this assignment. Now, if any of you are unfamiliar with his work, I expect you to be experts on him after this weekend. The same goes for the ladies with Adele."

"So is this going to be like a glee club British invasion?" Tina asked.

"It sure seems like it!" Mr. Schuester was brimming with excitement at how broad the New Direction's portfolio was getting.

Kurt raised his hand before they were dismissed.

"Mr. Schue, if I may? I'd like to stick with the original assignment and sing a song by Adele. While I do enjoy Mr. Hudson's work., I find that, in my case, Adele is more appropriate."

"Sure Kurt, that's fine. Anything else before we wrap up?" Upon seeing no one else raise their hand, Mr. Schuester dismissed the New Directions for the weekend.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, so that was the first chapter. It was more of an intro to get the rest of the story set up. Good, bad or indifferent, let me know what you guys think!**

**- Jaz**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello all! Here's chapter two! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, I do not own Adele's music and I do not own Mr Hudson's music.**

* * *

><p>Quinn walked slowly down the scarlet locker-covered halls of McKinley High School, watching the backs of Rachel and Finn as they strolled along, blissfully unaware of her. They weren't holding hands. They weren't even talking to each other. They just walked together in a pleasantly awkward silence, hesitantly casting looks at one another. They couldn't be any more obvious if they tried.<p>

Quinn knew that her time with Finn was over. She supposed it was over long before the school year had even begun. After she'd broken his heart last year, it was no small wonder that he'd taken her back. But the damage had already been done.

And then there was Rachel.

Quinn had never paid much attention to the self-proclaimed star of the Glee club. But once she began professing her love for Finn at every possible opportunity, Quinn found herself in a constant battle for the boy's attention.

_You say_

_It's all in my head_

_And the things that I think_

_They don't make sense_

_So where've you been, then?_

_Don't go all coy._

_Don't turn it 'round on me like it's my fault._

Quinn was well aware of the fact that Finn had feelings for the brunette. Anyone with eyes and half a brain could figure it out. But, time after time, Finn would vehemently deny having anything more than platonic feelings her.

Quinn wasn't the slightest bit convinced. After all, she saw the stolen glances and shy smiles that the two shared when they thought she wasn't looking.

_See I can see_

_That look in your eyes_

_The one that shoots me each and every time_

Quinn sighed as she continued to walk down the hallway. Finn was apparently walking Rachel to her English class because they came to a stop at one of the classroom doors. Rachel looked up at Finn with her big brown eyes and smiled at him as she said something that made him laugh slightly and blush. He rubbed the back of his neck as they bid farewell and he continued on to his locker.

_You graze me with your cold shoulders_

_Whenever you look at me I wish I was her_

_You shower me with words made of knives_

_Whenever you look at me I wish I was her_

Quinn wanted to be mad at him. She really did. She wanted to storm over to his locker, slam it shut and demand to know what they were talking about. She wanted to yell at him for walking Rachel to class instead of walking with her, _his girlfriend_. Quinn wanted to hit him for paying more attention to the hobbit diva than to her, the prettiest and most popular girl in school.

But she didn't do any of those things. Deep down, Quinn knew that this would happen eventually. She knew that Finn wouldn't return her feelings the way he once did. She just wasn't ready for it to happen so soon, and with such an intensity. Quinn was sure that if she weren't still fighting to save her and Finn's relationship, he and Rachel would already have baby names picked out.

So, instead of humiliating herself and Finn in the middle of a crowded hallway, the blonde walked up to her boyfriend's locker.

"Hey."

Finn dropped half of his books and looked around wildly, startled by Quinn's quiet approach.

"Oh, hey! I didn't see you there," Finn explained once he straightened.

'I know,' Quinn thought sadly.

"Did you want to come over to my house after school today? We haven't seen each other much lately and I wanted to change that." Quinn looked up at her boyfriend through her eyelashes as her fingers lightly played across his chest.

But Finn wasn't looking at her. He'd stopped stuffing his bag when he saw a small pink piece of stationary sticking out from one of his notebooks.

"Uh, sure. That sounds great." Finn answered her absentmindedly as he stared at the little piece of paper.

_These days_

_When I see you_

_You make it look like I'm see-through_

Quinn recognized it immediately as one that came from the obnoxiously pink planner that Rachel carried around. The loopy handwriting on the paper only confirmed her suspicions.

Quinn huffed with frustration and Finn looked alarmed as she snatched the paper from his notebook. After quickly scanning the pages and finding that it was a list of cheesy love songs that Rachel suggested for her and Finn's duet, Quinn angrily shoved it back into Finn's hands.

"Alright, that's it," Quinn slammed Finn's locker shut, ignoring his protests of not having all of his books, and dragged him into a nearby empty classroom.

After shutting the door with more force than was necessary, Quinn turned to Finn to see him standing nervously next to one of the desks,

_Do tell me why_

_You waste our time_

_When your heart ain't in it and you're not satisfied_

"Alright, I get it. You like Rachel." Upon seeing Finn's mouth open to deny her statement, Quinn held up her hand to stop him. "Don't even bother telling me that you don't because you and I both know that's a lie. Or do you mean to tell me that you think singing "No Air" with her and walking her to class is strictly _platonic?_" By the end of her rant, Quinn was almost shrieking. The blonde girl took a deep breath and composed herself before she continued speaking.

_You know I know_

_Just how you feel_

_I'm starting to find myself feeling that way too_

"Look, Finn. We can't keep doing this. I see the way you two are around each other. You two are the way the two of us _should _be. You actually look happy with her and it's killing me. I know I don't always show it and I haven't been the best girlfriend, but I really do love you, Finn. And I really can't keep standing idly by while you continue to break my heart."

Finn stood in a stunned silence as he tried to choose his words carefully. When he spoke, he forced himself to meet his girlfriend's tired and defeated gaze.

"Okay, maybe you're right. I guess I do like Rachel," Quinn snorted at that. "But I swear none of this was on purpose. I just figured…that maybe we could still make things work between us and that my feelings for her would pass. I mean, I still love you, Quinn. I'm not going to pretend that things haven't changed between us, but I never meant to hurt you like this." Finn walked across the classroom and gently touched her shoulder.

_When you graze me with your cold shoulder_

_Whenever you look at me I wish I was her_

_You shower me with words made of knives_

_Whenever you look at me I wish I was her_

Quinn let the barest hint of a smile flit across her features. She could have forgiven him right then and there. She could have kissed him sweetly and told him that it was okay and that they didn't have anything to worry about. She could have walked out of that room with him, arms linked, looking at each other with a newfound love. But she didn't.

Every time she'd confronted Finn about Rachel, it was just a constant stream of accusations being thrown back and forth. 'You don't pay me any attention's and 'You don't even love me's being hurled at each other. Never before has Quinn given the _real _reason for her constant irritability. They would just argue, make up and move on. This time, they would do no such thing.

_Time and time I played the role of fool_

_Just for you_

_Even in the daylight when you came in_

_I don't see you_

_Tried to look for things I hear_

_But our eyes never find_

_Though I do know how you play_

She looked up into Finn's warm brown eyes and remembered a time when they used to be filled with so much love for her. She remembered when she was the one who could bring that silly little half smile to his face. She remembered a time when he would walk her to class and make sure to sit next to her in Glee Club.

But now, his eyes were only filled with the kind of love that one reserves for close friends and family. Sure, Finn might still love her. But he wasn't _in love _with her. Well, not anymore.

"I think we should break up."

Finn's eyes widened at the sudden statement. Though, when he took the next few seconds to really think about it, perhaps it wasn't so sudden. After all, he did just confess to having feelings for another girl.

"Uh…" Very eloquent, Hudson.

"You don't have to say anything. We both knew this would happen eventually. One of us would have ended it. I just think it's easier this way, so you don't have to keep stringing me along and forcing yourself to stay in this farce of a relationship."

Quinn quickly wiped away a tear before it could fall and smiled up at Finn sadly.

"Look at the bright side; now you can go and be with her." Again, Finn was mildly shocked. Of all of the things Quinn could have said to him as she broke up with him, that was the absolute last thing that would have been on the list.

"But what about you?"

Quinn shook her head at her _ex-_boyfriend's needless concern.

"I'll be fine."

Squeezing his shoulder in parting, Quinn swiftly picked up her backpack and walked out of the classroom. As she walked down the hallway, the bell rang to signal the end of the class period. When she stopped at her locker, she looked back down the hall and saw Finn waiting outside of Rachel's class looking as though he wasn't sure whether he should be happy or sad. However, his quandary was solved for him when Rachel emerged. Finn's face lit up immediately.

_You grace me with your cold shoulder_

_Whenever you look at me I wish I was her_

_You shower me with words made of knives_

_Whenever you look at me I wish I was her_

Before the two could start walking in Quinn's direction, she quickly closed her locker and began walking to her next class feeling lighter than she had in months.

Yes, she would be fine.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So Fuinn is no longer in the works. What does this mean for Finchel? Good, bad or indifferent, I'd love to hear your thoughts!**

**- Jaz**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello all! Just to be clear, this takes place right after Original Song. That's about it, really. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, I do not own Adele's music and I do not own Mr. Hudson's music.**

* * *

><p>Finn Hudson was not stupid. Sure, he didn't always understand what was going on in his classes but that was just because he was too busy thinking about other stuff. Like how many grilled cheese sandwiches he could eat before he passed out. Or how may marshmallows he could fit into his mouth at once. Last time he got up to nine.<p>

So, just because he was constantly wrapped up in his food-related musings and often tuned into the conversation without the slightest clue as to what was going on, did not mean that he was stupid.

He also wasn't blind. Though Finn might seem oblivious, he was actually quite observant. Finn took advantage of the Glee Club's lack of confidence in his intelligence to simply sit back and observe everyone else.

At this moment, he was watching Rachel Berry. He was seated next to her and was completely ignoring Mr. Schuester's Journey-centric prattling in favor of watching the brunette jiggle her leg nervously.

To anyone else, Rachel's twitching leg might have looked like she was waiting for Mr. Schuester to finish speaking so that she could immediately start demanding that they ignore this week's mini-British Invasion assignment and continue practicing for Nationals.

Finn knew that wasn't the case at all. Between Rachel's crossed arms he could see the glint of her cell phone and a list of messages that she'd received from someone that made Finn's nostrils flare. She was waiting for a text message. From Jesse St. James.

Finn was well aware of the not-quite relationship between Rachel and the former Vocal Adrenaline star and it made him fume to know that someone like Jesse was slowly making his way back into Rachel's life. Jesse was just such a…sleazeball.

Finn suddenly raised his hand as an idea struck him.

"Mr Schue, I know what song I want to sing for this week's assignment. Do you mind if I sing it now?"

"By all means, Finn. Go for it!" Mr. Schuester recovered from his sudden interruption and took a seat off to the side of the classroom as the tall boy made his way to the front.

He was nervous but he'd been practicing the song ever since he found out what they were supposed to be doing. Finn nodded to the ever-present band and began to sing.

_Anyone but him_

_I'd rather here you'd have the whole football team_

_Than have to watch his filthy lips on your skin_

_Anyone but him_

_Anyone but him_

Rachel, who'd resorted to covertly checking her phone every few minutes looked up at Finn with wide eyes. Was Finn singing to her?

_With schoolboy fists we can take this outside_

_But knowing my luck_

_That fuck would win_

_Anyone but him_

Finn began the chorus, walking to stand directly in front of Rachel. He looked down at her, fighting the urge to grab the phone from her hand and throw it across the room. Instead, he let his hand lightly stroke her cheek before he backed up.

_Who's gonna take you home?_

_Who's gonna take you home?_

_Who's gonna take you home if it isn't me?_

_If it isn't me?_

Finn thought back to when Jesse first made his unwelcome appearance in their lives. Though he was still with Quinn at the time, he knew that the fierce protectiveness that he'd felt towards Rachel wasn't strictly platonic.

_Anyone but him_

_My blood boils as my eyes turn green_

_Is this the best of the best of the scene?_

_Anyone but him_

_Anyone but him_

The way that Rachel smiled whenever Jesse was near her or even when she talked about him made Finn jealous. It was a completely new sensation for him and it took quite a while for him to figure it out. But when he did, it was quite the shock. After all, Quinn was his girlfriend when Rachel and Jesse were dating. Why on earth was he jealous?

_With schoolboy fists we could take this outside_

_But knowing my luck_

_That fuck would win_

_Anyone but him_

When Jesse broke that egg over Rachel's head, and subsequently, her heart, Finn decided that he would never let anyone hurt her that way again. Now that he and Quinn were officially over, Finn was planning to ask Rachel out properly. But Jesse's reappearance was quickly ruining his plans and Finn figured this was the only way to stop Rachel from falling back into older boy's deceptive arms.

_Who's gonna take you home?_

_Who's gonna take you home?_

_Who's gonna take you home if it isn't me?_

_If it isn't me?_

Finn looked directly into Rachel's eyes as he continued to sing. He was silently pleading with her to see through Jesse's sweet words and gentle looks. Finn mentally willed her to realize that Jesse would break her heart all over again. He couldn't stand by and watch that happen for a second time.

_Look past the leather and the dash and the rims_

_And you see his whole hustle wears thin_

_Anyone but him_

_Anyone but him_

_He's gonna take what you can't take back_

_Then he's gone out the door on a whim_

_Anyone but him_

As Finn sang the chorus again, he noticed Rachel's phone light up from where she'd abandoned it in her lap. He hoped that it was Jesse. He wanted it to be him so that when he was done singing, Rachel could respond to whatever message he'd sent with a quick dismissal. He wanted Rachel to realize that the only person she'd ever need was standing in front of her.

When Finn came to the end of the chorus, Artie suddenly joined him in the front of the classroom to rap Kanye West's verse of the song. All heads turned to the bespectacled boy as Kanye's verse flowed effortlessly from his lips. If Finn didn't know any better, he'd think that Artie had written the words himself, as comfortable as he was with playing the role of a rapper.

_Now when she go black_

_She ain't never coming back_

_I'm sorry Mr. H. _

_I thought you already knew that_

_You'll see her on a black street like Chauncey _

_I'm a bad boy like Sean C._

_Roc-A-Fella like Shawn C._

_Keep them Apes with me like Don C _

_Like Jay, keep Beyonce I'm just talking nonsey, so nonchalantly_

_See my Mark like Ronsy_

_Pop my collars like Fonzy _

_Paparazzi is on me_

While Artie continued to rap over the mild beat, Finn never took his eyes off of Rachel. He saw her quickly check her phone before turning it off and putting it in her backpack.

_I see your girl want me_

_I'm filling up her glass_

_Feeling on her ass_

_Feeling so upper class _

_And your boy, so fresh_

_I might even flash cash_

_So at the end of the night _

_You ain't even gotta ask_

Finn rejoined Artie as they both sang the final chorus of the song. Finn slowly walked back over to Rachel and sat down beside her as he continued to sing the rest of the chorus.

_Who's gonna take you home_

_Who's gonna take you home?_

_Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me?_

_If it isn't me?_

_If it isn't me? _

_If it isn't me?_

By the time the last line was uttered, Artie had stopped singing and Finn's voice was barely audible to the rest of the Glee Club as he looked directly into Rachel's eyes.

"Rachel, I know I haven't been the best about showing my feelings for you and I know that you have feelings for Jesse but you can't go back to him." Finn fumbled for words as he became aware of the gazes of everyone else in the Glee Club. Finn blushed slightly and soldiered on.

"I mean, he only pretended to be your boyfriend so that he could spy on us. And he broke an egg over your head," Upon seeing Rachel inhale sharply at the memory best forgotten, Finn apologized. "I'm sorry to bring that up, but don't you see? He can't be trusted. And I know that you want to believe everything he tells you because he's just so good at it, but he's no good for you."

Finn searched Rachel's eyes desperately for any sign that his little speech got through to her. The silence was starting to make Finn nervous before she finally spoke.

"And you are?"

Well. That was unexpected.

"What do you mean? Of course I am!" Finn couldn't quite believe that Rachel would question something so obvious.

"Really? Because it sure doesn't seem that way." Before Finn could dispute Rachel's statement, she plowed on. "First, you constantly lead me on, making me think that you actually like me - maybe even love me! But then, as soon as I show that I have feelings for you, you push me away. Not to mention that this is all while you're still with Quinn. I won't even get started on that. And now, you try to tell me whom I should and should not date when you haven't even made the slightest move towards progressing whatever there is between us?"

Rachel barely glanced at Finn's shocked expression before she continued.

"Look, Finn. I'm really flattered that you feel so strongly about me to the point that you put it into a song, but did you really think that I would sit back and wait for you forever? I've loved you from the moment I saw you and I suppose a small part of me always will. But, as much as I'd like to think of myself as the slighted heroine in a vintage love story, I refuse to sit back and continue waiting for you to come to your senses. If I want to date Jesse, that is exactly what I'm going to do. If you really feel that he's 'no good for me,' maybe you shouldn't have waited so long to tell me."

Rachel turned to Mr. Schuester, who had been watching the scene play out before him, unsure of what to do.

"Mr. Schuester, may I be excused?"

"Sure, Rachel. Go right ahead." When Rachel left the classroom, he looked around at the rather uncomfortable faces of his Glee Club.

He couldn't blame them. It was fairly common knowledge that Rachel and Finn were going to end up together and that Jesse was more or less of a speed bump. At least, that's what they all thought. Mr. Schuester checked his watch and saw that there were only ten minutes left in the period.

"Alright guys, we're almost out of time here. So why don't you all head out and work on your songs?"

Finn didn't make a move to get up as the rest of his classmates hastily left the classroom.

Mr. Schuester sat down beside the boy and waited a few minutes before he spoke.

"Finn, I know that was really rough for you but it's not the end of the world." Mr. Schuester awkwardly patted Finn's back. He was unsure of what else to say since the boy hadn't acknowledged his presence since he sat down.

Finn finally looked over at his mentor to reveal that he was barely holding back heartbroken tears.

"I really thought she'd understand…I wasn't trying to tell her who she should date," Finn paused. "Okay, maybe I was, a little bit. I was just trying to get her to see who she shouldn't date. I mean…I was going to ask her out today, actually. I really was. I guess I just assumed that after I sang that song, everything would click. I'm such an idiot!" Finn buried his face in his hands as he tried to keep himself together.

Mr. Schuester really felt for the kid. He'd been in a similar situation not too long ago and it, too, had gone seriously awry.

"You just have to give her some time. If she really wants to be with you, then she'll choose you. If she wants to be with Jesse, you'll just have to try to be happy for her."

Finn straightened up as he regained his composure. He nodded slowly as Mr. Schuester's words sank in.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." The bell rang, letting Finn know that he needed to get to his next class. "I gotta get going, Mr. Schue. But thanks." Finn smiled weakly as he headed for the door.

On his way to the school's exit, Finn saw Rachel standing in front of her open locker. She didn't see Finn because she was engrossed in whatever was on her cell phone's tiny screen. After staring at her screen for a few seconds more, Rachel's thumbs frantically flitted across the keypad, typing a response.

When she was done, she looked around, feeling a pair of eyes on her. When her gaze met Finn's, her eyes hardened and she slammed her locker shut, storming off in the opposite direction.

Finn just hoped that his message actually had gotten through to her. If Rachel didn't want to be with him, that was fine. Finn just wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to be happy with anyone but Jesse St. James.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: If any of you are curious, the song I used in this chapter was Mr Hudson's "Anyone But Him." Also, the song that I used in Chapter two was Adele's "Cold Shoulder." ****I figured that it would be a good idea to include song titles at the end of each chapter. That's all for now!**

**- Jaz**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey all! Here's chapter four. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, I do not own Adele's music and I do not own Mr. Hudson's music.**

* * *

><p>Jesse St. James smiled sadly to himself as he continued to text Rachel. He was supposed to be paying attention to his Intro to Psychology class but he was practically failing anyway. Paying attention to the last half hour of the lecture wouldn't make much of a difference.<p>

Rachel had yet to respond to his text asking her to go to the movies with him that afternoon. This was somewhat out of the ordinary since she was usually, almost inhumanly, swift with her responses.

Jesse sighed and tucked his phone in his jacket pocket. He forewent paying attention to the lecture in favor of contemplating his relationship with Rachel.

He knew that he was leading the girl on, but he couldn't bring himself to break her heart again. After the first time, he'd made it his mission to set things right. But let's be honest, he couldn't have a real relationship with the young brunette.

The fact that he was barely making it through his freshman year in college and that she was just past the halfway mark in high school was reason enough for him to reconsider being with her.

So why did he insist on continuing to date her? Why did he insist on stringing this poor, sweet girl along in a relationship that will inevitably end in a worse state than it did the first time?

_Lyin' _

_I still can't find the truth_

_So I spend another line on you_

_You can't blame a fella for tryin'_

Jesse supposed it was because he wanted a piece of that high school innocence that he never got to experience. Listening to Rachel natter on endlessly about a particularly silly incident in glee club or an unfair teacher made him realize all that he'd missed during his own high school years.

While he was in Vocal Adrenaline, he'd never had to worry about actual schoolwork. His coach had made certain that all of the singers were passed with the bare minimum in order to keep them eligible for competition. That's probably why he's almost failing out of college now. But that's not the point.

_I'm hoping_

_You eat my every word_

_Doesn't it taste so good? _

_But deep inside I'm dyin'_

Jesse was simply choosing to live vicariously through Rachel under the guise of a loving boyfriend. He wasn't sure why he didn't feel worse about what he was doing to his girlfriend. Perhaps it was because he'd already deceived her once. It wasn't such a monumental task to do it a second time. The only difference was that he wasn't competing with a rival show choir.

If anything, that made the situation much, much worse.

_Oh_

_I want a word with you_

_There's never a perfect time_

_It's time for another white lie_

Jesse's phone buzzed and he jumped slightly, forgetting that he was awaiting Rachel's response. Upon seeing her cheerful text agreeing to meet with him at their usual theatre, which was only a short walk away from her house, Jesse sighed again. He used the remainder of the lecture time and the drive from his university campus to mentally prepare himself for what was sure to be another grueling date.

_White lies_

_Just a little white lie_

_I did it to get close to you_

_And I will tell a million more white lies_

_Just a little white lie_

_I did it to get close to you_

_And I will tell a million more white lies_

"Hey babe," Jesse crept up behind Rachel and enveloped her in a hug from behind. She'd been waiting in front of the movie theatre for Jesse's arrival.

"Oh my gosh, Jesse! You scared me!" Rachel carefully extracted herself from her boyfriend's grip, blushing slightly at their public display.

"Sorry about that, I just couldn't resist getting my hands on you as soon as I saw you." Jesse placed a kiss to Rachel's lips before letting her go completely. He admired her blush, imagining a much simpler world. A world in which they might have actually been a real couple.

Ever the caring boyfriend, Jesse tucked a lock of hair behind Rachel's ear. He let it linger for a moment too long on her cheek as he smiled down at her. He knew that he had a look of utmost love and adoration plastered on his face as he and Rachel walked hand-in-hand into the theatre.

Usually, Jesse was glad for the amateur acting lessons that had been forced upon all members of Vocal Adrenaline. They were to help the singers really channel the emotions that their songs called for. Now, he was mildly disgusted by how well he'd done in those classes. He was almost a natural at pretending to feel any and every emotion.

_Sometimes_

_Good men do bad things_

_Just as bad men can do good_

_Tell me which way you like it_

_Someday_

_I know you'll understand_

_That I didn't really have much choice_

_I just had to hide it_

The movie was uninteresting. It was some romantic comedy with the type of plot that can be easily discerned from a few commercials. Usually Jesse would use their movie dates to see how far Rachel would allow him to go. She never let him get to any of the _good parts _but Jesse kept trying all the same. After all, he should be getting _something _out of this, right?

But this movie date was lacking in such commonplace teenaged activities. Rachel tried to engage him once or twice but Jesse gently shrugged her off, chalking it up to simply wanting to watch the movie. Rachel, though obviously hurt, kept to herself for the rest of the film.

Of course that wasn't true at all. Jesse wasn't really paying attention to the movie. He was too busy trying to decide if he should break up with Rachel sooner, rather than later. He already knew the practical answer to that question. If it weren't so completely rude, Jesse would have dumped her before the previews started rolling. But he was too selfish to let go of that childish innocence just yet. Jesse wanted to hold onto it for as long as possible. If it meant slighting Rachel once in a while, delaying his final act of emotional cruelty, then so be it.

Feeling only moderately remorseful for his chilly reception to Rachel's amateur advances, he reached over and held the brunette's hand for the remainder of the film. Seeing her smile, even in the darkness of the theatre, made Jesse feel just a little bit worse about himself.

_Oh_

_I want a word with you_

_There's never a perfect time_

_However much I try, try, try, try_

_Oh why don't you sit yourself down?_

_'Cause we gotta talk this through_

_It's time for another white lie_

"Jesse, what's wrong."

Jesse and Rachel were seated at a small table in a diner just a block away from the movie theatre. The boy in question looked up in surprise from his burger and onion rings. What was with Rachel's tone? Jesse swallowed carefully before answering.

"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong." He tried to go back to eating his dinner but Rachel was having none of it.

"You're lying. When we first met up outside of the theatre you were all over me but since we left the theatre, you've barely spoken two words to me. I won't even comment on the rejection that you dealt me during the movie." Rachel lowered her voice and looked at Jesse as though she were preparing for news of the gravest sort. "Is…is there someone else?"

Jesse suppressed a mighty sigh. So they were going to have _this _conversation again. Over and over, Rachel would come up with some half-thought out theory as to why he was suddenly uninterested in her. She usually fell back on the accusation of cheating. Ever since he publicly humiliated her, Rachel hadn't been quite as trusting as even she would like to believe.

And over and over again, Jesse would have to, almost patronizingly, reassure Rachel that he wasn't seeing anyone else. Of course, he couldn't tell her the real reason for his random bouts of disinterest, almost like clockwork in occurrence.

_White lies_

_Just a little white lie_

_I did it to get close to you_

_And I will tell a million more white lies_

_Just another white lie_

_I did it to get close to you_

_And I will tell a million more white lies_

"Rachel, as you already know, you are the only girl in my life. Is it so wrong for me to want to simply enjoy a movie with my girlfriend? Do you honestly expect me to want to feel you up at every opportunity?" Rachel made a move to interject but Jesse continued on. "I know what I said earlier today, but that was an immediate need that I couldn't ignore. After all, we don't see each other as often as I would like. I would think that you'd be glad to just enjoy each other's company. Or do you really wish to be seen as one of those horny couples that has no regard for public decency?" Jesse sat and watched all of the emotions play across his girlfriend's face. She will never make it in the theatre business if she continues being so transparent. Anger, confusion, embarrassment, resignation. It was all there. Jesse could watch the emotions flit across Rachel's face for hours.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply that that's _all_ we had to do whenever we spend time together. I guess I just got worried. I know that I don't do as much as other girls and sometimes I feel like it's not enough for you." Rachel finished her statement speaking more to her own Caesar salad than to Jesse.

His heart, or what was left of it, cracked just the tiniest bit at the unexpected confession. Jesse knew that Rachel was insecure about some things, so it really didn't surprise him that intimacy was one of them. He knew she wasn't going to put out any time soon but that's not why Jesse was with her. He had other sources for that. Jesse reached across the table and took Rachel's fidgeting hands in his own. His smile was kind and forgiving.

"Don't worry about it, I understand. But sometimes, just know that I just want to spend time with you. I will never push you into anything that you're not ready for." Rachel smiled that brilliant smile of hers again. The one that made Jesse remember just how much of a bastard he'd become. It was the very same smile that also reminded him that there's still the slim possibility of him becoming a better person. Very slim, indeed.

_I was just playin' girl_

_I was just playin' by your rules_

_Just a little white lie_

_And I'll tell a million more white lies_

The couple finished their dinner in a content silence and began the short walk from the diner to Rachel's house. Slowly approaching her front door, Rachel turned to her boyfriend with a hopeful look on her face.

"Would you like to come in for game night? My dads and I always have a game night every week. This week is Scrabble." Rachel chewed her lip nervously, waiting for Jesse's response.

"I'm afraid I can't," Jesse threw up a look of regretful sorrow as he shrugged his shoulders. "You know, lots of college work that has to get done."

"Yes, of course. I understand completely." Rachel tried to conceal her obvious disappointment and Jesse almost changed his answer. But that wouldn't be a wise decision.

He'd been invited to family game nights at the Berry household on numerous occasions but he simply couldn't bring himself to meet Rachel's parents. How could he look them in the face, smile, shake hands and earn a Triple Word Score when he was doing nothing more than prolonging their oblivious daughter's suffering?

No. Jesse wasn't ready to break things off with Rachel just yet, selfish as he was. But he refused to make the inevitable pain that much more poignant by meeting her parents.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise." Jesse bent down to kiss Rachel before he turned to wak back to his car. It was still parked near the movie theatre.

"Okay. Will you call me when you get home? You know…just to make sure that you're safe." Rachel fidgeted with her keys as she spoke.

"Yes, I will call you to let you know that I am safe." Jesse kissed Rachel one last time before she unlocked her front door and slipped inside.

He found it ironic that she was worried about his safety. After all, it's her own safety that she could be concerned with, at least in the emotional sense. Jesse was reminded of an old saying. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Yes, shame on Rachel for thinking that he was the one who needed protection.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: There you have it! I'm a little iffy on the end of this chapter but I couldn't keep racking my brain trying to figure out how else to end it. For this chapter, I used Mr. Hudson's "White Lies." It's one of my favorites. Let me know what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello again! Here's chapter 5, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, I do not own Adele's music and I do not own Mr. Hudson's music.**

* * *

><p>Rachel Berry walked into Glee rehearsal the next afternoon with a giant smile on her face. The previous evening, she'd gone on a date with Jesse and it only served to reaffirm her love for him.<p>

Yes, sometimes she felt that Jesse was more than a little distant towards her, but he always made up for it. Rachel couldn't be happier. She practically skipped to her seat and sat down with a graceless, but merry 'plop!' Rachel checked the wall clock and saw that there were a few minutes before rehearsal officially began.

The brunette took out her phone with the intention of texting Jesse. They hadn't spoken since last night and Rachel just wanted to say hi.

However, she was stopped as soon as Finn walked into the choir room. All thoughts of texting her boyfriend flew from Rachel's mind, replaced by the fury she felt for Finn.

How _dare _he presume to tell her whom she should and should not date? Rachel had been practically _throwing _herself at Finn for longer than can be considered dignified, and for what? For him to continuously lead her on while he struggled to maintain his own failing relationship with his girlfriend? Looking back on it, Rachel found the entire situation pathetically laughable.

She needed someone stable, who wasn't ashamed or afraid to be with her. She needed someone who could understand what it was like to be an under-appreciated star. She needed someone who put as much into achieving their dreams as she did. That's why she and Jesse were perfect for each other.

Let's face it, Finn is sweet and a perfectly suitable person to have a relationship with, but when Rachel made it big as a Broadway star, he wouldn't be able to keep up with life in the Big Apple. Jesse would.

As Rachel was mentally going over the reasons why she was better off with Jesse, Finn made his way over to her seat cautiously. Rachel crossed her arms and looked up at him with indifference.

"Can I help you with something?" Finn was taken aback by Rachel's cold tone. He must have really done it this time.

"Look, Rachel, I just wanted to apologize for yesterday afternoon. I guess I was a bit out of line but you have to believe me when I say that I wasn't trying to tell you what to do. I was just channeling my emotions like Mr. Schue wanted us to do and that seemed like the perfect song to get my feelings out there." Finn felt more awkward than usual towering over the girl so he sat down in the empty chair beside her.

"Hm. Well maybe you should have thought about that before singing such an inappropriate song. I mean, really, Finn. You'd rather me date the entire McKinley football team instead of _one _guy just because _you_ don't like him?"

"Uh…I don't think it was meant to be taken literally." Finn did not like where this conversation was going. He'd intended to apologize to Rachel and maybe persuade her, in a much less obnoxious way, to hear him out. It didn't look so promising.

"That's not the point. I'm done with you, Finn. I'm happy with Jesse and if you really cared about me, you'd be happy, too." Rachel stared ahead, determined to end her conversation with Finn.

It was just as well, since rehearsal was beginning and Mr. Schue was asking for volunteers to sing one their songs.

Finn sighed and slumped in his chair. He was at a loss for where to go from here.

"Mr. Schue, I've prepared a song that would be more than appropriate given some recent events in my not-so-personal life."

"Sure, Rachel, the floor is yours."

Rachel nodded and took her place in the front of the choir room.

"As you all know, yesterday Finn tried, quite unsuccessfully, to woo me away from my boyfriend, Jesse St. James. While at one point I would have swooned at such a display of affection, now it is simply too late. Since Finn won't heed my rejection in a simple conversation, perhaps a song will do the trick."

Finn blushed with embarrassment as Rachel spoke. Is this really happening right now?

Rachel took a deep breath and began to sing. Yes, this was really happening.

_Right under my feet_

_Is air made of bricks_

_That pulls me down_

_And turns me weak for you_

At one point in time, perhaps not that long ago, Rachel would have done anything Finn asked of her. She would have gone to the ends of the earth with him, if that was his desire. Rachel, did genuinely love Finn. Hell, she still did. But time after time, he'd left her with a broken heart and tearstained cheeks.

_I find myself repeating_

_Like a broken tune_

_And I'm_

_Forever_

_Excusing your intentions_

_And I_

_Give in _

_To my pretendings_

_Which forgive you_

_Each time_

_Without_

_Me knowing_

Rachel remembered the first time she'd laid eyes on Finn. He wasn't like all of the other brainless jocks on the football team. Sure, he wasn't the brightest person, but he was much sweeter than the rest of them.

_You melt my heart to stone_

_And I hear your words_

_That I made up_

_I say your name_

_Like there should be an us_

_I best tidy up myself_

_I'm the only one_

_In love_

_I'm the only one _

_In love_

She remembered when he'd come to convince her to rejoin the Glee Club. She remembered the way they'd had what could be called a perfect date. She still relished the memory of the brief kiss she and Finn shared at the end of it. Rachel could slap herself for being so stupid. He was still with Quinn when all of that happened!

_Each_

_And every time_

_I turn around to leave_

_I feel my heart begin to burst_

_And bleed_

_So desperately_

_I try to link it with my head_

Rachel thought back on all of the times that she'd professed her love for Finn. She felt herself starting to tear up but she was determined not to break down. She had to get through this. Not only for Finn, but for herself as well.

_But instead_

_I fall back to my knees_

_As you tear_

_Your way right through me_

_I forgive you_

_Once again_

_Without_

_Me knowing_

_You burnt my heart to stone_

Finn stared in awe as Rachel continued to belt out the ballad. He'd always known that Rachel was pretty but this, this was something different. Whenever she poured her heart into any song, the brunette was stunning. But in this song, Finn saw Rachel's true beauty. He saw the heartbreak that she'd endured over him. He saw the strong girl who, despite her self-proclamations of stardom, just wanted to be accepted. He saw the girl that he'd fallen in love with-

'Wait. Do I really love Rachel?' Finn was mildly startled by this revelation.

_And I hear your words_

_That I made up_

_I say your name_

_Like there should be an us_

_I best tidy up myself_

_I'm the only one_

_In love_

_I'm the only one_

_In love_

As he listened to Rachel sing the ballad, Finn decided that yes, he was indeed in love with one Rachel Berry.

'How could I have been so stupid? Sure, I was happy with Quinn, we had good times, but she never really appreciated me for _me._' Finn paused in his thoughts. 'Well, maybe Rachel did try to change me in her own ways, but at least she fell for me as a person and not as a symbol of popularity...'

Finn continued to watch the brunette belt out Adele's heartbreak as he slowly experienced his own. Why on earth hadn't he acted sooner? Here was the girl that he loved essentially telling him that she was through waiting for him and he was powerless to do anything to stop her.

_Why_

_Do you steal my hand_

_Whenever I'm standing my own ground_

_You_

_Build me up_

_And leave me there_

Rachel, on the other hand, was feeling no sort of regret as she sang. Adele's words only confirmed her beliefs that it was too late for her and Finn. She'd spent far too much time hoping and wishing and praying that Finn would realize that the two of them were meant to be together. All of the after-school practice sessions, all of the duets, all of them supporting each other when no one else would, all of it was for nothing. Rachel felt a new strength surge through her as she went through the final bars of the song. Sure, a small part of her might always love Finn, but the window of opportunity was shut and sealed.

_I hear your words_

_You made up_

_You say my name_

_Like there could be an us_

_I best tidy up my head_

_I'm the only one_

_In love_

_I'm the only one_

_In love_

As Rachel held the last note, she caught Finn's eye and thought she might have seen a tear there.

'No, that can't be right. Why would Finn be crying?' Rachel was mildly confused as she walked back to her seat, only vaguely acknowledging the applause and praise that she so often sought.

'I know my performance was brilliant but I usually go for the endless ovation, not the tearjerker...' Rachel's train of thought trailed off as she heard her phone's discrete text message notification chime from her backpack. It was from Jesse.

'We need to talk,' was what the message read. Rachel's face fell. She knew she was naïve, even she knew the one, true meaning behind those four words.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Woo! Chapter 5! It was a bit shorter than I would like, but sometimes that happens. For this one, I used Adele's "Melt My Heart to Stone." It's one of my favorites by her (but then again, I could say that about almost all of her music). I have a lot of stuff happening within the next two weeks so I don't know when I'll be able to update. I'm trying to work my way through another chapter but it's not going so well. But never fear! I'll work it out. Please don't forget to review. Until next time, folks!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello all, here's the sixth chapter. There isn't much to say here so...enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, I do not own Adele's music and I do not own Mr Hudson's music.**

* * *

><p>We need to talk.<p>

Artie Abrams hated those four one-syllable words. With them, a significant part of his life had been drastically altered.

It all started yesterday. On that fateful afternoon, Rachel Berry felt that it would be fitting to all but publicly humiliate Finn Hudson by singing a rather passionate rendition of Adele's "Melt my Heart to Stone." While Artie found the whole thing quite silly (he had a side bet going with Puck, Mike and Sam for how long the two would remain apart), he never thought that it would affect his own love life.

That's what he got for thinking.

As soon as the period was over, Brittany had dumped Artie. She'd said that Rachel's song choice had made her realize that her own heart was melting when she was with Artie. The wheelchair-bound boy didn't even bother telling Brittany that it was physically impossible for one's heart to melt. He'd been too busy trying to repair what was left of his.

He knew that wasn't all, though. Artie, though physically impaired, didn't let such a thing hinder his observational skills. He knew about Santana and Brittany's confusing relationship and he also knew just how manipulative Santana could be. Artie was sure that Santana had convinced Brittany to dump him so that they could be together.

Artie snorted at the thought. How could she be so selfish when she wasn't even willing to go public with her relationship with the blonde?

It didn't matter, though. Artie cared deeply for Brittany and he wasn't about to lose her so easily. He'd show her how much she meant to her in this afternoon's Glee Club meeting. He turned around to see that Brittany was resting her head on Santana's shoulder as the brunette stroked her thigh. Artie wasn't a hateful person but in that moment he couldn't help but to feel a small bit of loathing towards Santana.

"Alright guys, who's ready to sing?" Mr. Schuester bounced into the choir room, sporting a rather unfortunate looking sweater vest as he excitedly surveyed his students.

Artie's hand immediately flew into the air but a slight movement to his left caught his attention. Santana was volunteering as well.

'Whatever she has to sing can wait until after I've done my song,' Artie thought, bitterly. He was in no mood to be courteous and follow the 'Ladies First' rule.

"Mr. Schue, I can wait. Wheels can go ahead and sing first." Santana shot an almost gloating look at Artie as she spoke. She was _mocking _him. The former Cheerio clearly felt that she was doing Artie a favor by allowing him to sing first.

'So be it. If all goes well, she won't be so smug when I'm through.'

"How kind of you, Santana. Your generosity knows no bounds." Artie didn't bother to conceal the sarcasm in his voice as he wheeled himself to the front of the classroom.

"I chose to sing Mr Hudson's Supernova. This is for someone in the room who needs to realize that she's making a terribly misguided decision." Artie held Brittany's slightly confused gaze as he began to sing.

_And I feel like takin' off_

_Let me be your supernova_

_Before you make the biggest_

_Mistake of your life_

_Just give me a chance to get it right_

Santana was faintly irritated when she heard the opening bars to Artie's song. He _would _go with something so obvious and so painfully _cheesy_. Santana glared daggers at him between occasionally kissing Brittany's forehead.

_They've got it all_

_They've got all the things_

_I thought I wanted_

_But I can't afford_

_To fake anymore_

_To live this facade_

_And smile as the warm champagne pours_

Artie really wanted to look away from the two former Cheerios, practically cuddling in the back row. He really did. But he also had to make sure that Brittany knew that he was singing to her. Not even Santana's death glares could deter him from trying to win Brittany's heart back.

_Out on the road_

_We'll pretend we're having tons of fun_

_In a world where we don't belong_

_Some bloke on her lawn_

_Is she thinking of me?_

_Or did she forget_

_What we once had?_

Santana was pissed, to say the least. Couldn't Wheels take a hint? When Santana Lopez wanted something, she went after it until it was hers. This applies to everything, including certain, slightly clueless blonde Cheerios. Sure, Brittany and Artie might have made a cute couple or whatever, but that's only out of pity. Santana knew that she and Brittany were way hotter together.

Besides, Brittany was the only one who really understood her. Santana wasn't the type of person to just let people in on a regular basis. Her trust wasn't earned easily, but somehow Brittany had snuck up and taken it without a backward glance. Did Four Eyes really think that she would back off so easily?

_And I feel like takin' off_

_Let me be your supernova_

_Before you make the biggest_

_Mistake of your life_

_Just give me a chance to get it right_

Seemingly out of nowhere, Mike sprang to the front of the choir room and began busting out his trademark moves as he actually rapped along with the song. Artie didn't have time to appreciate his classmates' shocked faces. He was only concerned with watching Brittany's reaction as he maneuvered around the front of the room in time with Mike's moves.

_Oh_

_They got it all_

_You can see they got it all_

_They got the house, the boat_

_And the beautiful house by the shore_

_And you know there's more_

_But I can't take a minute_

_Of it all_

Santana raised an eyebrow at the display before her. The only thing that kept her from storming out of the room and defacing a specific locker was the look on Brittany's face. She was following the boys' moves closely with a look of longing that clearly showed how much she wanted to join them.

Santana had to admit it. Wheels knew his stuff. If ever dancing was involved, no matter what the situation was, Brittany was almost always the first one to hit the floor. But he had to know that it would take more than an upbeat, 'baby-please-take-me-back' song and a few slick moves to win her over. The brunette sighed and squeezed Brittany's hand slightly and was rewarded with a brilliant smile.

There was no way she was giving this up.

_He wants his kids and his dog_

_He wants his breakfast in bed_

_He's got his trust fund saved_

_Not a word in his head_

_But it's not you know me_

_I want to break up the scene_

_And see you running back to me_

Artie took control of the vocals again as Mike danced back to his seat. He ignored the slight pang in his chest when Brittany turned to smile at Santana at the end of their little routine. She should have been smiling at Artie. After all, he was the one who was laying his heart on the line even though he knew it was pretty much hopeless at this point.

_'Cause I feel like takin' off_

_Let me be your supernova_

_Before you make the biggest_

_Mistake of your life_

_Just give me a chance to get it right_

_Get it right_

_Yeah, I feel like takin' off_

_Let me be your supernova tonight_

_Before you make the_

_Biggest mistake of your life_

_Just give me a chance to get it right_

_Get it right_

Artie tried to maintain eye contact with Brittany as he sang the last of the song. He needed her to know that Santana wasn't good for her. He knew the type of girl that the Latina was. She only wanted what she couldn't have. Once she'd achieved her goal, she'd get bored and move on to the next conquest.

Artie couldn't just watch as Brittany set herself up for heartbreak. He might not be able to give her everything, but he could definitely give her so much more than Santana ever could. He needed her to realize that.

_You've got it wrong_

_If you say our love is gone_

_You've got it wrong_

_If you say our love is gone_

_Yeah I feel like takin' off_

_Let me be your supernova_

_Before you make the biggest_

_Mistake of your life_

_Just give me a chance to get it right_

Applause rang out as Artie wheeled himself back to his usual place in the front row. He flushed with happiness when he saw Brittany clapping especially enthusiastically.

"Alright guys, wow! That was a great performance! Especially from you Mike, I'm glad to see you come out of your shell a little bit!" The tips of Mike's ears were still red from all of the praise he received from his classmates for his impromptu participation.

Mr. Schuester checked his watch and frowned with disappointment. "I'm sorry Santana, we don't have enough time for your song this afternoon. Do you mind pushing it back to tomorrow?"

"Whatever. It's not like I have much of a choice."

"Okay why don't you guys just head on out? I'll see you all tomorrow!" The Spanish teacher called out to the retreating backs of his glee club and shook his head, smiling.

He was really glad to see that his students were taking this week's assignment to heart. Mr. Schuester continued to gather various papers and the rest of his belongings until he heard raised voices outside of the choir room. The school day was over by now and most students fled the building as quickly as possible, so there couldn't be that many people around, save for a few staff members. He decided to investigate.

"- to my girlfriend? What did you think you would accomplish?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to get her back! She doesn't deserve to be with someone as awful as you!"

It was Santana and Artie. Though Santana was quite intimidating with her defensive stance looming over Artie, the bespectacled boy looked calm as ever as he spoke.

"Oh, so you think she's better off with a cripple like you? Don't kid yourself."

"In case you've forgotten, Brittany and I have been perfectly happy during our time together, despite my condition."

Santana let out a derisive laugh. "That's only because _I _was the one keeping her happy while you two watched nerdy movies or whatever. She was only with you because she felt sorry for you."

Artie's face reddened. "That's not true. Brittany genuinely liked me and she was happy with me."

"Whatever, Wheels. You keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night." Santana flipped her hair and started to walk away.

"She deserves better, you know." Artie spoke so quietly that Mr. Schuester had to strain his ears to make out what he said. He knew he should intervene but it wasn't as though either of them was in any _real _danger. Besides, with his own social life stuck in the toilet, it wouldn't hurt to indulge himself in a little high school drama. The guilt in the pit of his stomach said otherwise.

"She needs someone who can treat her with kindness and respect. Not just a warm body to fool around with. Isn't that all you want her for?" Santana turned around very slowly and watched Artie as he spoke.

"Look, even if she's not with me, she doesn't deserve for someone as heartless and cruel as you to take advantage of her."

Santana walked back to Artie until she was almost touching him and very slowly squatted in front of him until they were at eye level.

"Two things, Wheels, and I'm only going to say them once, so you'd better listen up." Santana's voice was dangerously low and even from his position down the hall, Mr. Schuester could tell that she meant business. Perhaps he ought to intervene after all. But...maybe not. It wasn't as though she was _touching _Artie.

"One; I assure you that I am not taking advantage of Brittany. She is a very, _very _willing participant in whatever we do together." Santana paused to admire the affect her words had on the boy in front of her. He was positively seething at this point. "Two; heartless and cruel? I only seem that way because of douchebags like you who don't take two seconds to pull their heads out of their asses and look past what they think they should see. You know _nothing_ about me."

Santana rose swiftly and walked down the hall and out of sight, leaving a heartbroken, frustrated and slightly confused boy in her wake.

After watching that exchange, Mr. Schuester took a few seconds to remember that he had legs. He moved to go comfort Artie, but before he could take the first step, Artie was speeding off towards the school's entrance.

Mr. Schuester sighed. He didn't think that this assignment would cause such unrest within the club. He'd have to have a talk with the kids tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And there lies chapter six. Good, bad, indifferent? Let me know what you think! I don't know when the seventh chapter will be done but I hope it'll be around the same time next week (Saturday or Sunday). We'll see how that goes.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey all! I'm sorry this took so long, real life got in the way and this chapter wasn't making things any easier. It's a bit shorter than usual but I'll try to make up for it next chapter! Well, enough of me and my useless rambling, enjoy!**

****Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, I do not own Adele's music and I do not own Mr Hudson's music.****

* * *

><p>Mr. Schuester walked into the choir room on Thursday afternoon and set his bag down on an empty seat near the door. He was reading the latest staff memo and didn't immediately realize that the choir room was already full.<p>

All of New Directions was sitting in their seats, quietly waiting for their director's arrival.

Mr. Schuester had an idea of why everyone looked so tense and figured that now was the best time to address the issue.

"Alright guys, so I know a few of you have been dealing with some things in your relationships during the week and I think I know why."

A snort from the back of the classroom let Mr. Schuester know that this wasn't such a major accomplishment.

"When we decided to take on this assignment, it was to get you guys mentally and emotionally in-tune. I'm glad that it's working but I hate to see it have such an affect on your personal lives." He took a moment to study the faces of the students who have already completed their assignments.

Finn looked like he hadn't slept in days, Rachel's eyes were red, puffy and raw-looking, Artie kept shooting backward glances at Brittany while Santana glared daggers at him. Almost half the glee club was an emotional wreck and Mr. Schuester couldn't help but to feel responsible for their misery. He was the one who pushed the assignment onto them. Tina's hand interrupted Mr. Schuester's thoughts.

"Yes, Tina?"

"So does this mean that the assignment is scrapped? I mean, look at us? Well, not us, per say. Mike and I are fine. But seriously, there are more than a few in here who can't say the same."

At the mention of foregoing the rest of the assignment, a few eyebrows raised hopefully.

"You're right, Tina," their hopes rose a little higher. "But we can't just give up the assignment," thus their hopes were crushed. "It would be unfair to your classmates who have already performed. Besides, this kind of experience, though initially painful, may serve to bring us closer together in the long run."

"The keyword there being 'may'," came Santana's quip from the back row. "Look, we all have to sing whether we like it or not. Now, are we done with this pointless discussion? I'd like to get this out of the way as soon as possible."

"Ah, yes! Santana, we ran out of time for you yesterday so you can start us off." Mr. Schuester took his usual seat to the side as Santana approached the front of the room."

"You all know who this is for."

_Whenever I'm alone with you_

_You make me feel like I am home again_

_Whenever I'm alone with you _

_You make me feel like I am whole again_

Santana closed her eyes as she sang. Not because she was trying to imitate Rachel's usual singing expressions, but because she wasn't in the mood to deal with the stares of her classmates. It was bad enough that she had to sing about her feelings. She wasn't about to watch people judge her for it.

_Whenever I'm alone with you_

_You make me feel like I am young again_

_Whenever I'm alone with you_

_You make me feel like I am fun again_

Santana remembered the first time that she and Brittany met. It was the first day of Cheerios practice and she had already intimidated all of the other girls into submission. She was arguing with Quinn about who should be the head Cheerio when Brittany came wandering over to them, as clueless as ever.

Santana had intended on brushing the other girl off before and continuing to yell at Quinn until Brittany offered her a Starburst.

"Why are you giving me candy?" Santana asked in an annoyed tone. She was extremely close to punching Quinn and wasn't in the mood for interruptions.

"Because you seem like you like them," Brittany responded as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Santana lifted an eyebrow and was on the verge of chewing Brittany out for making assumptions about her. It didn't matter that she was right; Starburst was actually her favorite candy. Who did she think she was, anyway?

But seeing Brittany hold out the package expectantly, waiting for Santana to take one of the candies, prevented Santana from being any more of a bitch. Who was she to refuse free candy?

_However far away, I will always love you_

_However long I stay, I will always love you_

_Whatever words I say, I will always love you_

_I will always love you_

From then on, Brittany had firmly attached herself to Santana's side. Santana wasn't sure why she allowed it since she never let anyone get close to her, ever. But against her better judgement, and to her complete surprise, she found herself enjoying Brittany's company more than she cared to admit.

There was something about Brittany's unique brand of cluelessness that brought a smile to Santana's face at the worst of times. Santana couldn't quite explain how or why she'd become so attached to the blonde girl and it wasn't something she dared to dwell on.

From watching Quinn's relationships build and collapse repeatedly, Santana gathered that thinking about things too much just lead to disaster. Why question a good thing?

_Whenever I'm alone_

_With you_

_You make me feel like I am free again_

_Whenever I'm alone with you_

_You make me feel like I am clean again_

Unfortunately, disaster barged into her life in the form of Brittany's relationship with Artie. She'd never cared much for the wheelchair-bound boy but she'd all but put him in a body cast once he started monopolizing Brittany's time. When Santana was with Brittany, she could forget how alone she usually felt. Throughout her life, Santana spent so much time building emotional walls around herself only to have them knocked carelessly to the ground with the offering of a Starburst.

How could she let someone so important just turn around and leave her for someone who couldn't even walk? So, naturally, instead of being happy for her best friend's relationship, Santana pushed Brittany away in an effort to hide her own pain. It was a rough time for Santana but she wasn't about to suddenly declare her love for Brittany in the middle of the cafeteria.

'I suppose I should thank Mr. Schue. This assignment may just help me win Brit over for keeps this time,' Santana thought as she continued to sing.

_However far away, I will always love you_

_However long I stay, I will always love you_

_Whatever words I say, I will always love you_

_I will always love you_

'I know I'm not the greatest with words but hopefully she'll get the message. Otherwise I'm just going to have to slash Mr. Schue's tires for putting me in this position.' Santana opened her eyes and ignored the bewildered and slightly sympathetic looks on her classmates' faces.

Santana would have snorted had she not been singing. She didn't need their sympathy. She wasn't doing this for them to console her with empty words and pitying looks when she was done. The only person that mattered to Santana was sitting in the back row of the choir room, staring back at her.

Brittany unconsciously fiddled with the drawstring of her hoodie as she sat, smiling warmly at Santana.

_However far away, I will always love you_

_However long I stay, I will always love you_

_Whatever words I say, I will always love you_

_I will always love you._

Santana held Brittany's gaze as she drew out the last note. At that moment, she wasn't aware of anything but Brittany's smile and the love she held in her eyes.

Applause broke Santana from her mild daze and she felt the heat rushing to her cheeks as she quickly made her way back to her seat.

"Alright, Santana that was excellent!" Mr. Schuester was making his way back to the front of the classroom while still clapping even though everyone else had already stopped.

"Yes, Santana, that was very brave of you," Rachel turned around to face Santana as she spoke. "We all know how much you abhor even the slightest mention of anything deeper than feelings of blatant lust but for you to put that all aside and lay your heart out for all of us to see takes true strength. If you keep that up, I might have to add you to my embarrassingly short list of those I consider serious competition."

Santana rolled her eyes but before she could silence Rachel with a scathing reply, Brittany spoke.

"I think it was really sweet." Brittany looked over at Santana as she took her hand. "I know that was really hard for you and I want you to know that I love you too."

Santana had no time to think as Brittany leaned over and kissed her. It wasn't anything like heated makeout sessions that they usually shared on each other's beds. It was short, sweet and full of the love that Santana never thought she'd receive.

Brittany pulled back and Santana smiled slightly at her.

"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that," she said quietly.

"Yeah, while all this mushy girl-love is kind of hot to see, can we save it for the dirty magazines under my bed?" Puck's voice pulled Santana back to reality and she, much to her chagrin, blushed.

"Oh, shut up, Puck. You're just jealous that you're not getting any action from this girl-love."

Before Puck could reply with another lewd comment, Mr. Schuester cleared his throat.

"Okay then," he said loudly. "Who's up next?"

Santana smirked as Puck looked slightly crestfallen at being denied a chance to crack a dirty joke. Her smirk faltered a bit as she caught Artie's eye for a moment.

He wasn't regarding her with anything more than a heartbreaking sadness. Santana almost felt bad for him, but fell just short. After all, she and Brittany were a much better fit for each other.

'Make her happy.'

Santana wasn't sure if she'd seen that correctly, but she was fairly certain that those were the words that Artie mouthed to her before turning around and keeping his gaze firmly fixed on Mr. Schuester.

'Wheels has some nerve,' she thought. Santana looked over at Brittany and squeezed her hand slightly. The smile she got in return was more than enough to ensure that she would do everything in her power to keep it there.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So...what did you think? In this chapter, I used Adele's "Lovesong." For whatever reason, it took me forever to write this because I had trouble thinking of how to introduce a flashback of Santana and Brittany beginning their friendship. I think it turned out okay. If you feel the same (or not), don't hesitate to leave a review!**


End file.
